Grant for Applied Research (Hibah Terapan)— External Grants for Hilirisasi & Commercialization | BINUS Technology Transfer
Grant for Applied Research
External grants from DIKTI and BRIN are among the most powerful tools a BINUS researcher has. They fund the journey from prototype to market — and the competition is real.
— Background
Why external grants matter — and what changed
Indonesia’s national research funding landscape has undergone a major shift. The government, through Kemendikbud-Ristek and BRIN, has moved away from funding basic research output alone and is now firmly focused on hilirisasi — the downstream application of research into real products, industries, and communities.
What this means for BINUS researchers: grants are no longer about publishing papers. They are about prototypes, patents, technology transfer, industry partnerships, and measurable economic impact. If your research has real-world application potential, there is now a grant designed specifically for you — and BINUS RTT is here to help you find and win it.
There are currently 7 external grant schemes relevant to BINUS researchers pursuing hilirisasi and komersialisasi. They run across two main platforms — BIMA (Kemendikbud-Ristek / DIKTI) and Hilirisasi Riset / Bestari Saintek (BRIN/Semesta) — and serve different research stages, team structures, and industry engagement models.
Jump to a scheme:
|
RIKUB Consortium · BIMA |
SINERGI Tech Transfer · BRIN |
Ajakan Industri Industry-led · BRIN |
Dorongan Teknologi Tech Readiness · BRIN |
|
Prototipe Prototype · BIMA |
PUIPT Center of Excellence · BIMA |
Bestari Saintek Living Lab · Semesta |
Hibah PIB-T Internal · BINUS |
— Find Your Fit
Which grant is right for your research?
The single most important factor is your research’s TRL (Tingkat Kesiapterapan Teknologi). Start here before looking at any other eligibility criteria.
| Your Situation | Best Fit | TRL |
|---|---|---|
| You have a concept/early prototype and want to validate feasibility before committing to industry | Dorongan Teknologi | 6–7 |
| You have a working prototype and want to validate and commercialize it | Prototipe (BIMA) | 6–8 |
| You want to transfer your research technology to industry or government through a structured partnership | SINERGI | 6–9 |
| An industry has a specific problem and wants BINUS to solve it (industry comes to you) | Ajakan Industri | 7–9 |
| You want to lead or join a multi-university consortium with a national-scale research agenda | RIKUB | 4–7 |
| You run or want to build a research center and need institutional-scale funding | PUIPT | Varies |
| You want to create a living lab that connects academics, community, industry, and government around applied science | Bestari Saintek | 4+ |
— The Schemes
All 7 grant schemes explained
BIMA Platform
RIKUB — Riset Konsorsium Unggulan Berdampak
Up to Rp1.6 Miliar
1–3 years
What it is: The highest-prestige consortium grant. RIKUB funds multi-university research consortiums aiming to produce nationally impactful products ready for hilirisasi. Think of it as building an entire research ecosystem — with IP, prototypes, and a business model as the end goal.
Who it’s for: A Consortium Leader (Ketua Konsorsium) who coordinates multiple Principal Investigators from different universities. Requires S3, Lektor rank, ≥2 Scopus/WoS publications, SINTA score ≥1000 (saintek) or ≥700 (soshum), and a granted patent (non-copyright).
Outputs by year: Year 1 — Patent/IP. Year 2 — Validated prototype (TKT 6). Year 3 — Business model/spin-off/license + consortium publication.
Partner contribution required: In-kind (Year 1) → ≥10% cash (Year 2) → ≥20% cash (Year 3)
Hilirisasi Riset · BRIN
SINERGI — Hilirisasi Riset Berbasis Transfer Teknologi Terintegrasi
Up to Rp1.2 Miliar
1–2 years
What it is: SINERGI funds the structured transfer of research technology from university to industry or government. Industry comes to BINUS — or BINUS brings a solution to market. It covers both commercial and social innovations.
Who it’s for: Researchers with S3 (or Lektor Kepala if S2), ≥2 Scopus/WoS publications, and a granted IP (non-copyright). A mitra industri or pemerintah is required.
Outputs by year: Year 1 — Model (method/system/strategy). Year 2 — Prototype and/or IP ready for certification/commercialization.
Partner contribution: In-kind (Year 1) → ≥10% cash (Year 2)
Hilirisasi Riset · BRIN
Ajakan Industri — Industry-led Collaboration
Up to Rp1.45 Miliar
1–3 years
What it is: The reverse of the normal model. Here, industry defines a specific challenge (via an RfP), and BINUS researchers respond with a solution. The industry is the initiator — BINUS is the solver. This requires a real, documented industry partner from the start.
Who it’s for: Researchers with S3 (preferred), Lektor minimum, ≥1 Scopus/WoS publication, any type of KI, and a proven industry/government collaboration track record. TRL 7–9 preferred.
Outputs by year: Year 1 — KI relevant to industry need. Year 2 — Prototype ready for testing/certification. Year 3 — Business model and development strategy.
Partner contribution: In-kind (Year 1) → ≥10% cash (Year 2) → ≥20% cash (Year 3)
Hilirisasi Riset · BRIN
Dorongan Teknologi — Technology Readiness Validation
Up to Rp500 Juta
1–2 years (2 stages)
What it is: A two-stage grant designed to validate technology readiness before committing to full commercialization. Stage 1 is a feasibility/pre-feasibility study (≤Rp250 juta). Stage 2 is the actual technology push toward industry adoption (≤Rp500 juta). The most accessible of the BRIN hilirisasi grants.
Who it’s for: Researchers at TRL 6–7 with an industry partner. S3 is not required. IP is not mandatory. A track record of industry collaboration is preferred. Lektor minimum. This is the best entry point for researchers new to hilirisasi grants.
Outputs: Stage 1 — Feasibility study. Stage 2 — Validated prototype ready for industry adoption.
Partner contribution: Optional (testing facilities, data, or expert support)
BIMA Platform
Hibah Prototipe — Prototype Testing & Validation
Rp65 Juta / proposal
6 months
What it is: A focused, short-duration grant for researchers who already have a model or prototype at TRL 6–8 and need funding to test, validate, and prepare it for commercialization. This is the fastest path from prototype to market-ready product.
Who it’s for: Lecturers with TRL 6–8 research, any KI type, and a mitra pengguna for market and technical testing. Partner contribution is optional but valued.
Outputs: Validated prototype, IP, publication, and a commercialization roadmap.
BIMA Platform
PUIPT — Pusat Unggulan Iptek Perguruan Tinggi
Rp1–3 Miliar/year
Up to 3 years
What it is: An institutional grant — not for individual researchers, but for research centers within a university. PUIPT funds the development of a Center of Excellence (CoE) into a globally competitive, independent research hub. Outputs include commercially ready products, spin-offs/startups, and international publication.
Who it’s for: The Head of a research center (Kepala Lembaga/Pusat Riset), S3, Professor or Lektor Kepala, with a strong international publication track record and existing recognition as a research center.
Submission window: TBA — contact RTT for updates.
Semesta Platform
Bestari Saintek — Living Lab for Applied Science
Rp750 Juta/year
1 year
What it is: A unique grant that funds the creation of a living lab — a real-world setting where researchers, community, industry, and government collaborate on applied science with tangible societal outcomes. Unlike other grants, Bestari Saintek doesn’t require S3 or patents, making it accessible to a wider range of researchers.
Who it’s for: Researchers with Lektor minimum, at least 1 Scopus/WoS publication, and a collaborative, multi-stakeholder research approach. Great for social science, design, education technology, and applied health researchers.
Outputs: Applied science products (TRO/NTRO), patents, publications, and scalable technical models.
— Eligibility At a Glance
Universal requirements — all schemes
Regardless of which scheme you apply to, every applicant must meet these baseline criteria:
- Registered as an active lecturer in PDDIKTI with NIDN/NIDK/NUPTK
- Not currently on leave (tugas belajar, recharging, or cuti akademik)
- Minimum education: S2 (Master’s) — S3 strongly preferred for most schemes
- Minimum functional rank: Lektor
- Must have at least 1 year of active service remaining after the program ends
- Can only serve as Ketua Pengusul for one hilirisasi grant at a time
- Must have a traceable research track record relevant to the proposed research
- Research product must be at TRL 4 or above (most schemes require TRL 6+)
- No family or affiliation conflict with the proposed industry partner
Important: Most schemes require an industry or government partner (mitra) before submission — not after. BINUS RTT can help you identify and formalize this partnership before your deadline. Email tech.transfer@binus.edu early.
— BINUS RTT Support
How BINUS RTT helps you apply
🔍 Grant matching and scheme identification
Not sure which scheme fits? RTT can assess your research TRL, publication track record, and industry connections to recommend the right grant — and explain honestly whether you’re ready to apply or need to prepare further first.
🤝 Industry partner facilitation
Most grants require a signed industry partner before submission. RTT’s ISM program and BRIDGE platform can help you identify, approach, and formalize a mitra — including Letter of Intent and MoU documentation.
📄 Proposal development support
RTT provides guidance on how to frame your research for hilirisasi grants — including TRL documentation, product specification writing, market analysis, and business model framing. Winning proposals are about more than the research itself.
🛤 Product roadmap and TRL assessment
If your TRL isn’t high enough yet, RTT’s Product Strategic Roadmap service can help you chart a clear path — including identifying which internal grants (PIB-T) can bridge the gap while you build toward external grant eligibility.
Ready to apply — or not sure where to start?
Access the full grant guides or consult directly with the RTT team.